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E. MA'THERSJ SHEEP SHEARS.

No, 64,991. Patented May 21, 1867.

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EBENEZER MATHERS, 0F ELDERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Leners Paten: No. 64,991, dated May 21, 1867.

SHEEP-SHEARS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Be it known that I, EBENEZER Msrnsns, of Eldersville, in the county of Washington, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Sheep-Shears; and I .do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a. plane or upper face view of a pair vof my improved shears when open.

Figure 2 is a similar iriew of the same when partly closed.

Figure 3 is a lower face 'view of the upper sct'oi' blades and the plates to which they-'are attached; and

Figure 4 shows a vertical section formed by e plane passing longitiidinally through one of the lower set of blu-des.

Like yletter-sot' reference indicate like parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of sheep shears with two or more pairs of cutting blades, which blades are removable at pleasure in connection with certain other devices by which the efficiency and practical -yalue of such shears are greatly increased.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and mode of operation. I

From wrought, rolled, or malleable iron l make the shanks or handles a a', and connect them together at the rear end, either in theusual way or morev commonly by a spiral spring, b, rigidly attached thereto. The other ends of theshanks a ai terminaterespectively in the plates c c. The thickness of both the plates c c is lessened toward the head of each and at any desirable point, or they are properly shouldered so as to leave room between them for attaching and operating steel blades d d", each with cutting'edgcs or sides and each terminating in a point. Such blades I attach by screws e e. Under each of the blades d d the plate c extends with a toothshaped projection, z', iig. 4, corresponding nearly or exactly in shape to the tooth or blade d that covers it. Such projections, 1', perform the functions of guards or guard teeth to keep the blades d with their counterparts d from cutting the skin of the sheep. The cutting blades d d of one plate c correspond in shape, size, number, and arrangementv to the cutting blades d of the other plate c', so far that the two sets of blades d d will in pairs cut across or against each other as the shanks or handles a a are .operated in the usual way. In one of the plates, and usuallyihe upper one c', is a slot,f, through which the headed set-screw h passes to and is screwed into the lower plate c. By tightening or loosening this screw z- I cause' the binds d d to work tightly to each other, or otherwise at pleasure. The slotfshould of course be suiiiciently large to admit ofthe operation of the shears in the usual way. Each sct of blades dclmay be made, as shown in the drawings, of a single piece of steel, or each blade may be separate and attached, as described. By loosening the screws e e', Iremove thc blades d d' for thc purpose of sharpening; or, if they become broken,'worn out, or injured, to substitute others. The spiral or coiled spring b should be as elastic as possible, and retain only sucient rigidity to cause the return stroke of the blades.

The advantages which I'clnim consist in the greater ease with which the shears can beoperated, particulnrly when the spiral or coiledspring b takes the place of the stiff spring of the ordinary sheep shears, in the much greater rapidity with which shearing can be done, since the operator can cut over. a much larger surfacel with cach stroke or clip of the shears than with the ordinary shears and cut more rapidly; as by' the use of the guard teeth i he is in no danger of cutting the skin of the sheep. The ordinary strap spring is objectionable, as, if made suilicicntly strong, it much too rigid to be easily operated. As a modification of luy-invention, I sometimes' attach to the plates c c', in the'manner above stated, a single pair of blades of the ordinary form, adjust their operation by a set-screw, 7i, and also connect the handles bythe coiled or spiral spring b. Such spring may be rigidly attached to the handles a a, or loosely so that by removing the set-scrcwh'the handles and blades can be taken apart in order that the blades may be ground, which willbc casier than removing thc screws c c.

What I claimas my invention, auddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is A 1. Making sheep shears with removable blades for cutting or clipping, whether cach blade or set oi'4 blades be made in one piece lor in two or more pieces, substantially in the manner and for the purposes above set fc'r-th.l

2. The mode of attaching the handles a a of nlpair of sheep shears by a. spiral or coiled spring I, so as to admit of their easy operation,'suel1 spring possessing sullcientx-,igidity to cause the return stroke of the blndesn substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3. Securing u. more or less intim'ate Contact -between the opposite blades or sets f blades ef n pair of sheep shears, by a set-screw passing throughs slot in one of the blades or the plate to which such blade is attached and screwing into the other, substantially as and for the purposesubove described.

In testimony whereof I, the said EBENEZER MATHERS, have hereunto set my hnd in presence o f E. MATHERS.

`Witnesses:

C. M. STEPHENSON, A. S. NmnoLsoN. 

